Memories Haunt Me
by EchoResonance
Summary: Touko's finally relaxed. She's hanging out in the peaceful White Forest, talking with her friends on the Xtransciever, and there's no Team Plasma to ruin her freetime. And yet...something still plagues her.
1. You Plague My Dreams

**_Alright, so I wrote this with the intention of it having one Chapter only, but R&R and tell me if you want me to continue, because I'd be glad to do that as well. Tell me what you think :)_**

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><p>"Oh, yeah, it's amazing over here," I said, looking around.<p>

The summer sun was blazing down on White Forest, driving everyone that was outside into the shade of the towering trees. The sky was clear and blue; an occasional Braviary or a Mandibuzz would fly by over head. Some Deerling and Sawsbuck were grazing a little ways away, and various bug Pokémon were scuttling about in the underbrush. Birds of all kinds nested in the trees. It was beautiful, of that there was no doubt. But…

"Touko?" That was Touya over the Xtransceiver. "What's wrong?" Always observant.

I smiled and shook my head. "It's nothing. It's just a little lonely down here." It was. Most people that came were only passing through.

"You could always meet us at Nimbasa to see the Musical," Touya coaxed. "Or you could come back home. I'm sure Juniper and your mom would love to see you again."

"Nah, I like it up here. It's relaxing; peaceful."

He smirked, but it looked…a little half-hearted.

"I'll bet it is, Touko, but…don't isolate yourself like this. You have to get out sometimes. I miss you. We all do. Cheren isn't the same without his favorite rival."

I smiled sadly, blinking back tears.

"Yeah, I miss you guys, too." God, did I ever, but I just couldn't be around them yet. Not yet. "I'll be around soon. I promise."

"Yeah." He nodded, but I could tell from the look on his face that he didn't believe me. "Well, I have to go now. Take care, Touko."

"You too, Touya," I murmured. He waved, the screen blinked out, and I set it to the side, looking up to the sky as though it held all my answers.

I missed all of them, I really did. It just wasn't the same without Cheren running around insisting on training; without ditzy Bianca giggling and playing with her Pokémon ; without Touya's steady calming presence. Part of me wished that I could just stop there, but I couldn't; they weren't the only ones I missed.

Laying back against the cool green grass, I closed my eyes, and tried hard not to cry. Still, the tears came. They trickled from beneath my closed eyelids as I thought about another of my friends. We hadn't started off like that. In fact, we'd been more like hostile rivals. But as we battled, we somehow grew closer. It seemed inevitable. We grew closer until finally I could call him my friend. And he called me his. And then…he left.

"N…" I sighed. "Where did you go?"

Against the inside of my eyelids, images flashed by. The first time I had ever seen him; arrogant, stubborn, in Accumula Town, where he'd told me that he could talk to Pokémon . When we rode the Ferris wheel in Nimbasa City at night; that was when he'd told me who he was, that he was the King of Team Plasma. The time when his Shadow Triad bozos all but dragged me through Chargestone Cave to battle him again. at the Dragonspiral Tower, when he woke Zekrom from the Dark Stone. And at the Pokémon League, first when he challenged me with Reshiram at my side, and later, after I'd defeated his father, and he flew off on Zekrom. Right before he disappeared for days that turned first to months, then to years.

I could still remember exactly what he looked like. That he was almost a foot and a half taller than me. That his skin was several shades lighter than mine because I'd always played outside when I was little, and he'd been cooped up in something like a palace. That he had soft, bright green hair that fell down to his hips, and was always kept in a pony tail at the nape of his neck. The weird planet necklace that he always wore around his neck. That strange cube he kept on a chain attached to one of his belt loops. The tan pants he always wore, and the white jacket over a black undershirt. He nearly always wore a cocky little smile. His eyes were bright, electric blue.

Seeing him so clearly in my mind, I felt as though I could reach out and touch him. But I knew that was childish. He was hundreds of miles away, exploring the world. Still, I could almost pretend that I felt him next to me. The warmth I'd felt from his hand the one time he'd taken it. I could even imagine that I heard him breathing right beside me. But of course he wasn't. If I opened my eyes, he would be gone, and I would be alone again. My Pokémon were all at the center, for a chance to relax, and to give me some "me-time" as Bianca called it. I needed it. I couldn't let my Pokémon see me cry.

"Why are you crying?" asked a voice above me. It was strangely familiar. Male. Deep, but not freakishly baritone like some people's. Soft, also.

I cracked open an eye; someone was leaning over me, blocking the sun.

"I'm not," I said stupidly, then rubbed a hand over my eyes.

I heard a strained chuckle, and opened my eyes all the way, since the guy was keeping the sun from getting in my eyes. What I saw made me sit bolt upright, nearly colliding with the person's forehead.

"Holy Honchkrow, what are you _doing_ here?" I exclaimed, but I didn't give him time to answer, instead throwing my arms around his neck. Because this was no stranger. He wasn't just some random guy. This was one of my best friends, one I hadn't seen since Team Plasma vanished.

N. He was here!

N laughed as I basically tackled him to the ground, and wrapped an arm around me, returning my hug. I'd never hugged him before; he'd never hugged anyone before, so I was impressed that he took it without any questions. I was also kind of glad. He was warm, his chest all hard muscle. For a pretty boy who never had to lift a finger a day in his life, he was kind of cut.

"How did you _get_ here?" I demanded when I pulled back.

Stupid question, I know. He left on Zekrom's back, didn't he? Of course that giant dragon could have brought him back. But one look around told me that Zekrom was nowhere in the vicinity. N hated keeping the Pokémon in his poke ball, and certainly wouldn't try to do that in a place like White Forest.

"Long story," N said, shrugging.

"I've got time," I smiled, pulling my knees to my chest and resting my chin on them. He raised an eyebrow, then chuckled again. "You're laughing a lot." I noted.

"Habit I picked up in Oblivia. They have some odd people there," said N, sitting up and crossing his legs. "Did you know there are two flying rangers that patrol down there along with the area rangers, and one of them has a partner Pokémon with a Ukulele? Crazy."

I laughed, but sobered up enough to ask "Where's Zekrom?"

N looked up at the sky and sighed.

"I let him go."

"You _what_?" I gasped.

"I let him go. We'd flown to a lot of different regions. We got really close. But, in Kanto, I stopped and really paid attention. I saw the way his eyes followed the wild flocks of Pidgeots and Fearows. He missed being free, flying through the sky on his own. I didn't really want to keep him from that. Besides, I could catch other flying type Pokémon to fly to other places, and I could catch ships. So, I let him go. He flew straight for Unova."

"What'd you do after that?" I asked eagerly, more than a little excited to hear where all he'd gone.

"I went to every region, searching for my answers. But soon, I found that I wasn't happy. Something was pulling me back here. I was in Fiore, and I caught the first bird I came across and tried to fly home. But she couldn't get all the way. We got as far as Hoenn, and she had to stop. I tried to distract myself, searching the entire region for anything that might answer some of my questions."

"And did you find these answers?"

He looked at me.

"I found some. But you were right about what you said before. For every answer I find, I have two more questions. And no other region held the important answers."

"Important answers?" I wondered.

He nodded, and hesitantly he reached out a hand, and took mine. I blinked, and felt a warm flush spread across my cheeks as he laced our fingers together. His hands were twice as big as mine, slender, but rough and calloused.

"I was never going to find those answers, because I realized that, honestly, all my answers lie with you."

And he leaned forward, and pressed his lips softly against mine. I gave a startled squeak, but tightened my hold on his hand, and kissed him back. When he pulled away, I was glad to see that I wasn't the only one blushing.

"I can't tell you how many times I wished I'd done that before I left," N said softly.

I brushed my fingers across my lips, noting that blood still boiled beneath the thin layer of skin.

"You still haven't told me how you got back," I noted, a little breathless. "Or how you found me."

N smiled and squeezed my hand. "Get over here, and I'll tell you."

I rolled my eyes, but scooted over until I was pressed to his side. He slung an arm around my shoulders, and I couldn't help but think that this N was far different than the one I'd met all those years ago in Accumula.

"I met a different type of Pokémon . Small, shy, a psychic type. I caught it, and he promptly evolved. The evolved form was Kadabra, and he knew a move called teleport. I talked to a local Pokémon professor about it, and he said that it would be able to transport me anywhere, to anyone that I'd already met. So, that's exactly what I did. I told Kadabra about you, and asked him to find you and take me there. And he transported me to a huge, sunny forest in Unova, with a Pokémon center a little ways away and a lonely looking trainer laying beneath a tree, weeping. That reminds me; you never told me why you were crying."

I felt myself blush again.

"I was thinking about how much I missed you."

He chuckled and leaned his head against mine. Yes, he wasn't the same guy as he was before, but…I still kind of liked him.

"I would not think that that would be enough to make you cry. You, of all people. But, I'll admit that I thought of you often. When I was alone, or when I battled a particularly strong trainer. None could measure up to you, of course, but they made me miss our battles."

I smiled and leaned into him, grateful for his warmth. I'd missed him so much, for so long, and suddenly he was here. It was like…

Like a dream.

I shot to my feet, and the world around me dissolved. It was dark now, with stars glittering brightly up in the black velvet sky. I looked around, to find myself quite alone.

"Damnit," I cursed under my breath, feeling the sting of tears building in my eyes. "Damn it all."

I curled my fingers into a fist, and hit the trunk of the tree hard enough that the branches trembled. A flock of Pidove took off. I pulled my hand back to inspect the damage; bloodied knuckles. I'd done _that_ plenty of times before, and I just wiped them off on my shorts. Glancing around, I saw a little pink-and-purple form hovering in a tall patch of grass.

"Get over here, Munna," I sighed.

Obediently the Pokémon floated over to me, and I knelt down to look at it. It looked at me with big, sad eyes.

"You thought you were doing something nice, didn't you?" I asked softly.

"Munn!" it said. I took that as a yes.

"Well, I guess I should say…thank…Hey…You look familiar."

The Munna hopped away nervously.

"You aren't a wild Pokémon ." Another, close inspection led me to believe something else. The carefully groomed fur, the unmistakable happiness and friendliness. The apparent connection with me. "You belong to N!"

The Munna bobbed slowly. I took that as another yes.

"What on earth are you doing here?" I wondered. "Where is he?"

"Munn!" the Pokémon said, and floated away into the forest.

"Hey! Come back!" I called, moving to run after it. But I knew it would be pointless. I'd get lost faster than a Shellos in a volcano.

I collapsed back to the ground, tears streaming once more down my face.

"Damn you N. Damn you, and your stupid games."

In Nimbasa City, a tall trainer with fair skin and green eyes sat on a bench in the Amusement Park, waiting for someone to return. Soon a little Munna appeared, floating straight for him and nuzzling his hand affectionately. The trainer smiled and lifted the Pokémon in his hands.

"Did you find her?"

"Munn!"

The trainer nodded.

"White Forest. Well then, let's go."


	2. Well Worth the Wait

_**N's POV**_

I stood beneath the protective covering of the giant trees, watching the Pokémon center carefully. Beside me, Munna and Zoroark were arguing again. I shook my head, suppressing a smile. All they ever did was argue, it seemed. Now it was about which region was the best out of the ones we'd visited. Munna thought it was Hoenn, because of the many psychic type Pokémon he had encountered, and because he'd grown rather fond of a trainer named May, and her little brother Max. Zoroark insisted that Kanto and Johto were better, because they were the only regions so directly linked, and because he held a lot of respect for a guy named Red, who trained around the clock in Mt Silver.

I frowned. All of the different regions had been amazing in their own ways. Oblivia, with the upbeat Flying Rangers that were closer than family. Almia, where the Top Ranger HQ resided, and where Top Rangers were amiable and nostalgic. Hoenn, that region where Land, Ocean, and Sky collided in legend. Sinnoh, the region of Time and Space, with its fascinating history. But they all lacked something in my eyes. Wherever we went, there was something I felt to be missing, although I didn't know what it was. Even as I learned to interact, to _feel_—which was in itself amazing—I wasn't entirely happy. I witnessed the rainbow Pokémon Ho-oh, met the atmosphere legend Rayquaza, and battled countless powerful trainers, and still it just wasn't enough.

Then, one night, as I lay awake in my bed, somehow my thoughts took a turn down memory lane. I thought of my father, and wondered where he was now. Locked up, most likely. Of home; Unova, with all of its beautiful wildlife. Of Zekrom, whom I released after seeing how much he longed for freedom. And then, thinking of all the powerful trainers I had encountered, I remembered the strongest one of all. My rival. My friend. Of all the things from home that I longed for, Touko was what I missed the most. I had barely made peace with her before I left, and there was always something, every single day, that I wished I could tell my very first human friend about; that I wanted to show her. But I had no way to do that. And now, finally, I was back home in Unova, ready to approach Touko, and I had absolutely no idea what to say to her. For all I knew, she had forgotten me completely. It had been years since I'd seen her, after all.

"Mun!" cried Munna suddenly. _There!_

I blinked and focused back in the present. The center door had just opened, and a Serperior preceded its trainer outside. I prepared myself to see the small, gangly girl that I had left behind. I felt my eyes widen as a person stepped out after the Pokémon, because although that trainer looked familiar, there was no way it could be _Touko_. Tiny, scrawny, _young_ Touko. The trainer that exited the Pokémon center was not a girl, but a woman. Far taller than when I'd left her, hair longer, body filled out into accented curves. Those chestnut brown locks hung free to her hips where once they'd only ever been pulled back in a pony tail. Her large, bright blue eyes weren't even the same. They didn't sparkled quite like they used to with humor and happiness. They were darkened by an aged sadness far beyond her years. Her Pokémon, which accompanied her free of poke balls, were subdued, concern for their trainer emanating from them undisguised.

She wasn't just pretty now. She was beautiful. But something haunted her.

"Whoever it is that's hiding behind that tree, get out here in the open," sighed the woman that was Touko, and yet not.

I swallowed convulsively, shared a look with my Pokémon, and stepped out into the glaring sun. Touko froze, but for the widening of her eyes. Her full lips parted in a silent exclamation of shock. Her Pokémon had equally startled reactions.

"H-hey," I said lamely.

"N?" she said softly. Her eyes were filled with disbelief.

"Yeah."

Slowly, as though she was in a trance, she walked forward until she was within arm's reach. Just as slowly, she stretched out a hand to touch my face, as if to check that I was real. Then, in a blur of motion that my eyes couldn't quite follow, her other hand snapped forward, fingers curled into a fist, and a harsh pain exploded in the right side of my jaw. Zoroark barked in surprise, and her own Pokémon made noises that said all too plainly that they thought it was very funny. I lifted my hand to my jaw, looking at her in injured disbelief. Touko's face was set in a scowl, her blue eyes ablaze with fury.

"What," I said, wincing, "was that for?"

"For leaving for five years," she growled, "and then sending your Munna to mess with my dreams."

"Your…dreams?" I wondered. "I never sent Munna to enter your dreams."

She snorted, and I was slightly relieved at the familiar gesture. At least some things never seemed to change.

"Yeah, well, that's exactly what he did, so sell _that_ crap to someone who's buying."

She turned on her heel, but before she could take even a single step, my hand shot out and caught her elbow. She stiffened; so did I. Because, from our point of contact, it felt like an electric current had just jolted through me, setting my nerves tingling. I wondered if she felt something similar, because her eyes flickered with something other than anger.

"Touko, I swear I didn't tell him to touch your dreams. I would never have done that. If he did, it was without my knowledge."

Her cerulean gaze scorched me as she searched for any sign that I might be lying. Apparently, she found nothing, because she sighed and relaxed.

"Fine. I believe you. But then what _was_ your Munna _supposed_ to be doing?"

I suppressed a sigh, glaring at the Pokémon in question, who hid behind Zoroark.

"He was supposed to be…supposed to be finding you. But he _wasn't_ supposed to get himself caught in the process."

"He didn't tell you that I'd seen him?"

"No, he most certainly did not," I grumbled.

She gave a small, reserved smile.

"Why were you looking for me?" she asked.

"Because, in all these years that I've been gone, I actually found that I missed my friend," I answered, with a rueful smile of my own. "And I had no way to contact her short of giving a Wingul a letter and hoping it would find you."

"Well, then, why don't you come with me, and tell me all about what you've been doing all these years?" she said, her grin growing. Her Pokémon murmured quietly, and I glanced at them.

They were looking at the two of us, confused but hopeful. According to their mutters, they hadn't seen Touko smile very much since…since I'd left. I hid a frown and consented to follow her.

"But enough about me; what have _you_ been doing?" I said finally.

She'd asked me question after question after question, all about what the Pokémon Rangers were like, what kind of Pokémon lived where. Now she sighed and shook her head.

"Not much. Just wandering around, trying to fill my Unova Dex. Not as exciting as you."

"You could have gone off to other regions as well, though," I pointed out. "Why didn't you?"

She shrugged, watching some Basculin swimming around her feet where she submerged them in the pond.

"I really had no reason to travel. It sounded like fun, but I didn't want to leave Unova. I'd miss everyone."

I frowned.

"But you could still keep in touch with them on your Xtran…thingy."

She laughed; her Pokémon started muttering again, startled.

"What's funny? That's how you kept in contact with them when you were traveling five years ago."

That sobered her up. She bit her lower lip.

"Actually," she said softly, "that's mostly how I keep up with them now."

I looked at her sharply.

"How come? Don't you ever see them?"

She shook her head.

"Not really. They hang around in Nimbasa a lot, and I try to avoid that place nowadays. Really, for the most part, I don't visit that side of Unova very often."

"Why on earth not?" I demanded, aghast.

Why would Touko, of all people, _Touko_, alienate her friends and family? It just didn't fit with what I knew of her. She looked away from me.

"Too many memories." The words were scarcely more than a whisper, but I heard every one nonetheless.

I stood to my feet abruptly, surprising both her and her Pokémon.

"I'm sorry," I said curtly. "I seem to have mistaken you for someone else. I was looking for my friend Touko, but I can see that she's not here."

She frowned at me.

"N, what the heck are you talking about? Of course I'm Touko."

"Are you?" I asked. "Because the Touko I know doesn't run away. Not from memories, and definitely not from her friends. She stands up and faces all of her challenges head-on. She fights. That's the trainer I left behind five years ago. Where's _that_ girl?"

She chuckled without humor.

"A lot has changed since then, N."

"There's change, Touko, and then there's just…hiding. You haven't changed; I can still sense you somewhere in there. But you _are_ hiding from something. Why? You've never had to hide from anything before. So why now?"

Touko pulled her feet out from the pool and folded them beneath her. Leaning her elbows on her knees, she looked anywhere but at me.

"Everything I had to handle, when you were around, was easy to fight. They were physical, tangible things. None of it scared me, when it was right in front of me and I could beat it. I wasn't frightened by any of it."

"What's scaring you now, then?" I asked gently, crouching back down beside her. I rested a hand on her shoulder. She didn't acknowledge it.

"Memories. I can't get away from them."

"Why would you want to get away? I would have thought you'd love them."

She laughed again; it was a sad sound. It didn't belong coming from her lips.

"Don't make me say it, N. Just don't."

"Say what?" I said, curious.

She sighed.

"I just…I didn't want to remember things…people, when…when I thought I'd never see them again. I never thought I'd see you again. I didn't want to remember you, what a great guy you were, and acknowledge that you'd disappeared."

I rocked back on my heels.

"And with my friends," she continued, "I couldn't see them again, because they just reminded me of you, and I didn't want them to see me like the total mess that I was."

We were both silent for a long moment.

"Well?" Touko prompted. "Say something."

I frowned, and tried to think of words.

"You…were…a _mess_—" I said, mimicking her word choice, "—because you…missed me. That's what you're saying?"

She snorted yet again.

"Yeah, basically. What can I say? I'm a hopeless ca—"

I didn't let her finish. Instead I crushed her to my chest, burying my face in her thick brown hair like I'd imagined doing for years upon my return. She squeaked in surprise, but allowed me to hug her, and she even wrapped her slender arms around my waist in a return of my embrace.

"Damnit, Touko, I'm glad I wasn't the only one," I laughed. "I was the same way. Well, I didn't realize at first why I couldn't seem to enjoy everything as much as I should have, but eventually I actually thought about it, and I realized that it was because I'd left the most exciting thing in my life back in Unova. You, Touko, were the most exciting thing of my life. And I couldn't believe how stupid I had been to leave you there."

She was so still in my arms that I worried I had said something wrong. I had been working on my communication skills, and I thought I'd been pretty straightforward, but there was always that annoying chance that she had misunderstood me and—

Well, apparently not.

Touko pulled just far enough out of the embrace to look me square in the eyes, lean up, and kiss me full on the mouth. I blinked as her hands slid into my thick mess of hair, falling out of its pony tail as always, and then let my eyes drift shut, just soaking in the feel of her being there with me. I tightened my arms around her waist and lifted her onto my lap; she giggled, and I smiled against her warm mouth. The feel of her skin against mine, of her gentle fingers massaging my scalp, send slivers of lightning coursing through me, raising my blood pressure and making me feel warm and flushed.

I'd longed to hold Touko for five long, lonely years. I'd missed her continually, unbearably, even before I'd fully registered it. And now, at last, I was back in Unova, and not only was I holding my old friend, but I was kissing her fervently, even desperately. And she was kissing me back with an equal intensity.

When we parted, we were both flushed, and our breathing was hitched and irregular. But who cared? She looked at me, her bright blue eyes sparkling just like they used to, and smiled hugely.

"Damn, for an innocent in the ways of human kind, you sure know how to kiss, boy."

I burst out laughing and hugged her tightly.

"Lots of books, Touko."

Then, resting my chin on the top of her head, I added "Five years was well worth the wait."

And indeed it was.


	3. Tempers Running High

_**Touya**_

"Hold on, guys," I said to Bianca and Cheren.

We were all walking down the main street in Nimbasa City, intent on heading back home for a little while, when I heard my Xtransciever beep. They obliged, veering to the side of the road and waiting on me to dig through my bag's jumbled contents for the bulky object. When I pulled it out, the little light in the corner signaled that I had a message. I'd had it turned off during the musical, due to the _rules of courtesy_, they called them. I switched it on, and it informed me of one new message. The picture that showed up by the message startled me, and then I grinned and motioned the other two over.

"It's from Touko," I told them.

"Ooh! Maybe she's coming over finally!" Bianca said excitedly.

Cheren snorted and, ever the downer, put a stop to Bianca's happy dance.

"Not likely. She probably just has another message for her mother."

I frowned.

"Don't be such a Johnny Raincloud, Cheren, you're not a Castform."

Cheren rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. I'm just being realistic."

"Yeah, well, keep your realism to yourself," I grumbled, then tapped the button that would replay the message.

_Hey guys!_ Touko was…grinning. A huge, happy smile that made me blink to make sure I wasn't hallucinating or anything. Nope, she was still smiling. _I guess you're watching a Musical or something, so I'll make it quick. I'm flying down to Nuvema. I'll be there in a couple of hours, probably. You're never gonna guess who I found! See you soon, I hope; bye!_

The screen went blank, and I looked up at Cheren and Bianca. Bianca looked about ready to burst with happiness, dancing first on one foot, then on the other. Cheren was blinking at the screen as if he didn't quite believe what he'd just seen/heard. And I felt a big smile of my own spreading over my face. I jumped into the air, whooping for happiness, then stuffed my Xtransciever into my bag and made a mad dash for the pokemon center.

"Touya!" Bianca called. "Where are you going? Route four is in the other direction!"

"I'm not going on foot; are you crazy?" I shouted over my shoulder. "I'm flying!"

…..~…..

Two and a half hours later, my Braviary touched down outside my house in Nuvema Town. I called him back to his poke ball, and ran for the lab, where I was sure Touko would go. Behind me, Bianca and Cheren were climbing off of their own transportation and sprinting after me. I think Bianca was trying to beat me to the door, but I wasn't about to be the _second_ one to see Touko. I exploded through the door, looking around wildly, and the grin froze on my face. Yeah, sure enough, there was Touko with Professor Juniper. They had Touko's PokDex out on a table beside them, and looked as if they'd just been discussing something important. But that wasn't what stopped me in my tracks. It wasn't the shock of seeing my best friend again, or at how much she'd matured. It wasn't even the tall man with long, green hair standing at Touko's shoulder. It was the fact that that guy's arm was around Touko's waist.

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?" I demanded, pointing an accusing finger at N.

He looked at me, and it was apparent on his face that my response to seeing him again amused him a great deal. I refrained from throwing a poke ball right in his face simply out of respect. Respect for Juniper's no-violence rules, not him.

Touko frowned.

"Hello to you too, Touya."

Bianca, having just entered the door behind me, shared none of my animosity toward N, and bolted forward with her arms outstretched, tackling Touko and him in a hug.

"When did you get back, N?" Bianca wondered.

"A couple of days ago," he shrugged, a small smile playing around the corners of his lips. I scowled at his easy attitude.

Cheren walked in next, muttering about how we should really start acting our ages, when his eyes fell on N, and he fell silent. His face was bland; only a single eyebrow rose, but for Cheren, that was like screaming in shock.

"N?" he said coolly.

N dipped his head in acknowledgement. Touko looked between the three of us and rolled her eyes, disentangling herself from the trainer we'd battled so hard against all those years ago. She came forward and gave me and Cheren a tight hug.

"I missed you guys," she chuckled.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, not taking my eyes off of N, as though if I looked away, he'd go Zubat-shit crazy and try to kill everyone. Touko must have guessed what I was thinking—or she just noticed how tense I was—because she pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Touya, behave," she growled, voice low. "He is _not_ going to hurt any of us."

I felt my scowl deepen.

"He already has, Touko." I made no attempt to lower my voice. He might as well hear what I had to say. "He hurt us all five years ago. He's been hurting you ever since. We all know he's the reason you never come around anymore, T. You've been tormenting yourself over him ever since he left. So forgive me if I don't take such a kind outlook on his being here."

Over her shoulder, I saw a shadow pass over N's face, and his eyes flicked downward. So he felt guilty. Good. He _should_ feel bad, after putting Touko through everything that he had.

"Touya!" she snapped. "You have yet to learn when to just keep your thoughts to yourself, I see."

I glared at her.

"Are you _kidding_ me?" I demanded. "You've been living in your own little private Hell, all because of _him_! What is wrong about that not endearing him to me?"

Touko glanced over her shoulder at N, who was staring fixedly at his sneakers. When she looked back at me, she was glaring darkly.

"We'll continue this conversation later," she growled.

"Fine."

She raked a hand through her hair.

"Alright, do you guys want to go to Nimbasa? I miss that city."

N looked up at her; an identical flicker of emotion showed on both of their faces.

"Sure!" Bianca answered. "I'm dying to ride the Ferris Wheel!"

...~...

"No, N, I'll ride with Touya," Touko said, squeezing his hand. "We need to have a talk."

N bit his lip, but nodded and climbed into the car with Bianca and Cheren. I refused to look at her as we climbed into the car following the others. She sat on the seat across from me, and as the ride began to move, I couldn't help looking over at her. Touko was staring out the window at the night sky. The stars reflected in her large blue eyes, and the silvery moon cast an ethereal glow over her skin. She looked beautiful, as always.

"Touko?" I said softly, my anger dissipating the longer I watched her. "You wanted to talk?"

She sighed and turned to look at me.

"Yeah, Touya, I did."

"About?" I prompted.

"You know that you're my best friend, right?"

"Uh—yeah, 'course."

"I would trust you with my life. I believe in you unconditionally. Why can't you extend me the same courtesy? Why won't you trust _me_?"

"I—Touko!" I exclaimed, somewhat hurt. "Of course I trust you! It's _him_ I don't trust!"

"By extension, you're saying that you don't trust me either, because I've assured you several times over that he's no real threat. But you simply won't believe me."

I stared at her, my mouth gaping. She really thought that I didn't _trust_ her? How could she even say that? Everybody and their _brother_ knew that Touko was probably the only one that I trusted completely and without restrictions.

"Why can't you believe me?" she asked. "N never gave you any true cause to hate him like you do."

I blinked, not sure if I heard her right, because he sure as Hell had given me _plenty_ of reasons to want to piss on his grave.

"He tried to take our pokemon away from us!" I shouted. Touko flinched, and a small Wurmple of guilt squirmed in my stomach. "He tried to take pokemon away from _everyone_! It was because of him that you were alone, isolated from everyone you knew, for five years!"

Where my voice was loud and angry, when she spoke, she was calm and collected. A lot had changed.

"Touya, we both know that he meant no harm in freeing pokemon. He thought he was doing the right thing. No, _listen_ to me, before you explode again," she warned when I opened my mouth in protest. Glowering, I pressed my lips together in a hard line. "And yes, I was living in White Forest for five years, because I wasn't exactly in a social mood after he left. I missed him."

"Why would you miss him?"

She took a deep breath to keep herself calm.

"Because, Touya, he's a great guy, with honorable intentions. If you could look past this blind hatred you have for him, you'd see that. He's strong, determined, and brave. You know this as well as I do, Touya, you just won't admit it out loud. I don't understand why you insist on hating him like you do."

I stared at her, trying hard not to think about her words. But, try as I might, Touko's voice was something I never could ignore. Strong, determined, and brave. Yeah, maybe. I guess he was kind of all those things. But that did so not mean I had to _like_ him.

"Touya, you know I can read you like a book, and I know what you're thinking now," Touko warned.

"What am I thinking now?" I said, bemused.

"You're thinking that I'm totally right, and you still won't even give N a chance. _What_ is your problem?"

I blew a long, irritated breath out through my nose.

"You really want to know why I hate that guy's guts?" I asked quietly, leaning forward and resting my elbows on my knees.

"_Yes_! That's what I've been saying."

"Then I'll tell you."

She leaned forward eagerly, her hair falling over her shoulders. I reached out and took her hands in mine, resting them on her lap. Inwardly I breathed a sigh of relief; I hadn't known if the aisle between the seats was narrow enough for that.

"Touko, I don't like him, because you _do_. I don't like him, because he likes you."

She tilted her head, frowning.

"I'm…not sure…I follow you."

"I don't like that you two seem so close, and that he could affect you like he does. You could say…" I swallowed, humiliated before I even said the words. "You could say…I feel kind of…kind of threatened by him."

She stared at me for so long that I wondered if I had something on my face. Then she busted up laughing and jumped onto the seat beside me.

"Touya, you're ridiculous!" she giggled. "Why would you feel threatened by _N_? You know you're my best friend; you have been since we could walk."

Still chuckling, she rested her head on my shoulder, giving my hands with she probably thought was a reassuring squeeze.

"That's just it, Touko," I sighed, looking outside. The ride was over; my time was almost up. "I'm your best friend, and you're mine. But that's all. I don't want to be just friends. I haven't for a while. And you two definitely don't act like you're just friends."

She pulled back and looked at me, eyes wide.

"Touya, I—"

But I didn't want to talk anymore. So, without even thinking about the possible repercussions of my actions, I caught her chin in one of my hands, and her waist with the other, leaned in, and pressed my lips to hers. She gasped when I pulled her hard against my chest, wrapping my arm all the way around her waist and tunneling my fingers into her mass of thick hair. I parted my mouth against hers, nipping carefully at her lower lip. Her hands were trapped against my chest, her slender fingers splayed against my torso, their heat radiating through the thin material of my t-shirt. I groaned, leaning forward and pressing her against the wall of the car, my eyes drifting close. Finally. I was finally kissing Touko, as I'd dreamed of doing for years, and it was everything I had imagined. Hot and sweet and passionate, and so totally amazing.

Until the door opened, and she pushed me away. My face felt hot and flushed, but when I opened my eyes, that excess temperature drained, plus a little extra, at the look on her face. She looked startled, confused, and almost scared. She scrambled out of the car, and after a less than polite order to get out before I was dragged out, I followed her. Outside on the grass, Touko was insisting to a skeptical N that nothing was wrong. With her slightly mussed hair, the frantic gleam in her eyes, and the fact that she was talking faster than a Dodrio could run, I wouldn't have believed her either. When N's electric blue eyes landed on me, they were blazing with anger. He leaned down and whispered something into her ear. She shook her head frantically, but he just trailed a hand down the side of her face and strode toward me, the look on his face promising violence.

"Touya, I have never had any problem with you—" he started in a low voice.

I snorted. "My ass, N."

"But I know that you do not like me, and if you assaulted Touko because of me, then I promise you that I will not remain impassive."

"_Assaulted_? I kissed her, Harmonia, I didn't attack her!"

"Against her will. That's called sexual assault, and I won't have it."

"It had nothing to do with you, N, and it isn't any of your business anyways!"

He scowled.

"It is completely my business, boy."

"_Boy_?" I spluttered. Then I shook that off. "How on poke earth do you figure that it's your business who I kiss?"

He leaned forward, his voice lowering to a dangerous level and his eyes glinting with dark fire.

"Because, Touya, the person you chose to kiss is the one woman that I have ever loved."


	4. An Understanding

"Love?" Touya sputtered. "You claim you _love_ her?"

I kept my voice low and steady.

"I do not claim, Touya, I know."

He snorted rudely in absolute disbelief.

"My ass, Highlighter-head. You knew her for less than a year, and you were her _enemy_!"

"Not enemy," I corrected immediately. "Rival."

"Yeah, whatever. You two were nowhere near friends. And then, after that fiasco you caused at the Pokémon league, you two barely made peace before _you_ disappeared for five years! You never once tried to contact her. And because of you, she was living as a recluse for five damn years. We—her real _friends_—never saw her, because she didn't want to see us. For whatever insane reason, she missed you, and she handled it extremely poorly. It's because of you that she hasn't seen her friends or her family for five years. It's because of you that she's been so damned depressed! And after _five years_ of not existing, you show up again, and you claim to _love_ her?" he was shouting now, drawing curious looks from passerby and from Bianca and Cheren. Touko was sitting on the bench directly across from the Ferris wheel, looking out over the railing.

His words struck a nerve. Yes, I had left her, standing alone in the Pokémon League, seconds after making peace with her. Yes, I had been gone for five years, giving them no trace of my whereabouts and no idea what I might be doing. I know now how badly I had hurt Touko in doing so. But I couldn't help the past. What I could do is make the present and future good enough to make up for my mistakes.

"Yes, Touya, I claim to love her," I answered in a cool, calm tone of voice. "Because during all the time I was away, there was not a single day that I didn't think about her. There was always something I wanted to tell her about, Trainers that I compared to her. And I did try to communicate with her. I sent a Pelipper with a letter, but it couldn't find her. I tried contacting her Xtransciever, but I couldn't get through. I met Cresselia, the dream Pokémon , and tried to contact her through _her dreams_, but it wouldn't work. I returned for one reason. To see her. To find her. Because she was the one person who always had faith in me."

For a moment, I thought I may have struck the young man speechless. Alas, he recovered quickly.

"Please. I don't believe that you can even _feel_ that kind of emotion. You've been nothing but a robot doing Daddy's bidding since the day you could walk. Even if you think you love her, we both know that it won't last, and when you leave, you'll hurt her all over again. But me? I've known her since we were both kids. I've been with her through everything, and I will be here for a long time after you get bored and ditch her. I love her, and I've loved her for years. I didn't leave, and soon enough she'll realize that I'm the better choice for her."

I raised my eyebrows.

"I may not have known her for long, certainly not as long as you have, but it seems that I may know her a little better than you."

"Bullshit," he snapped.

"No, I think not. Maybe you should listen to me first," I cautioned. "Touko is a strong, independent woman, quite capable of taking care of herself. She can most definitely make her own choices. She's not the type that would appreciate someone else speaking for her. It really isn't your place to say what I _might_ do, or what she _might _think. I will not leave Touko, unless she asks me to. But she has made it clear that she feels the same way for me that I do for her. And, if her rejection just now wasn't a clue, she does not feel that way about you. I do not deny that you are by far her best, oldest friend. You know her well, and you will always be there for you. I respect that, and I respect you. But what I do not respect is a man who forces himself where he has not been invited. Are you that man? Or are you the man that will prove content to be with his best friend in any capacity, with the acceptance that there might never be anything more than that, but happy to be with her at all? Which one are you?"

Touya's eyes blazed with dark fury, but, when he followed my gaze to Touko, his face softened. Lost the harsh lines of anger. The rage in his eyes dimmed to something else, something calm and gentle. Yes, Touya loved her. I could see that. But Touko had made her choice when she pushed him away, and I hoped that he would respect that. Of course, my motivation was not purely selfless; I did not want him trying to take her away from me. It infuriated me that he had kissed her against her will—that he had kissed her at all. But, if I could convince him to back off without chasing him away all together, I would do it, for Touko's sake. I knew she loved him in a brother capacity, and if I could help it, I wouldn't ruin that for her.

When Touya looked back at me, his expression was tight, but resigned.

"Fine, Harmonia," he bit out.

"Fine?"

"I'm not going to ruin things between me and Touko. I don't think what you two have will last, but it's not my place to try and screw it up. But so help me, if you hurt her, I swear to Arceus that you _will regret it_, and I will hunt you down no matter what region you try to escape to."

I smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

"I will bear that in mind, Touya." I looked over at Touko, then back to him. "Thank you. you are her best friend, and I don't want to mess that up."

Touya gave a self-depreciating snort.

"I think I already did."

"Not likely." I clapped my hand on his shoulder. "Touko isn't the type that would hold that slip against you."

"Make no mistake, Harmonia," said Touya, slipping away from my hand. "I still don't like you. But I will tolerate you, for Touko."

I laughed outright at that.

"I expected no less. Now, if you'll excuse me."

And I left him standing there, looking tired and resigned, so that I could join Touko on her bench. She looked over when I sat down, reaching out and taking my hand. I twined our fingers together, locking them tightly. My larger hand nearly made hers vanish. She held our clasped fingers on her thigh and leaned against me.

"Touya is not happy with me," I murmured.

"I think he's more angry with me," she sighed.

"He loves you, Touko," I argued. "Don't look too harshly on him. I certainly cannot deny his taste in women."

She gave a weary chuckle.

"Some things are hard to handle the way they should be handled. What should I do about Touya?"

"Be his friend," I responded instantly. "Nothing has changed. He is still the man you've known for years, the best friend that you grew up with. Don't look at him any differently than you would have before you knew how he felt. He is okay with just being your friend."

"Do you have an answer for everything?" she wondered with an amused sigh.

I smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Not quite, but I do my best," I whispered against her skin. "I don't want you to alienate your friends because of me. Not anymore."

She squeezed my hand.

"Quit tormenting yourself over that. It's in the past, you couldn't have known, and I was not reacting to the situation in anything resembling an intelligent manner."

I leaned my head against hers, resting my cheek on her crown.

"You will not hear on argument with me on those grounds, but I should not have dropped completely off of your radar as I did. That would make anybody worry, especially after we had just barely drawn a truce."

Touko tucked her head into the curve of my neck.

"How about we just forget about it? It's the past—that never helped anybody out, did it?"

I chuckled and let go of her hand in favor of wrapping my arm around her shoulders to pull her closer, burying my face in her hair.

"I'm all for that, Touko," I answered.

"Live in the present?" she suggested.

"That, Touko, sounds like an excellent course of action."

"Hey, love birds!" shouted Bianca.

We both looked around. She, Cheren, and Touya were all standing on the pathway, watching us with vaguely amused expressions. I smiled and helped Touko to her feet. We walked over to them hand in hand.

"Ready to hit the Pokémon Center?" asked Cheren.

"I'm all run down," added Bianca. "I need to get to sleep."

Touko nodded enthusiastically, and together the five of us left the Amusement Park and headed through the streets, still crowded with people despite the ungodly late hour, in the direction of the Nimbasa City Pokémon Center. I could empathize with the others; I was well and truly exhausted. But, I was also far happier than I had been in five long, lonely years.


	5. Down to Us

"Akihiko! Get back here now!"

I laughed as the woman sprinted after her child, who was making a Beedrill-line for the tall grass just outside of town. His small toddler legs were pumping hard in an effort to evade his mother, but her long, slender legs covered ground much quicker than his, and she scooped him up into her arms, slinging him over one of her shoulders.

Her mahogany hair was cut shorter now, in a steep A-line that she said was far easier to manage. Her fair skin showed signs of aging, but her laugh lines at the same time made her look younger. She was still tall, still slim, and she had those same bright, electric blue eyes, but in her early thirties, with a five year old child, it was natural that she looked older and weary. But she was still happy. Still so full of life that at times it astounded me.

"N, get over here and take your son!" Touko shouted. "He's gained a few pounds!"

I laughed and stood from where I sat on the bench. I had refused to cut my hair, only trimming it to keep a steady length, and it was thinly streaked with the first signs of silver. I had laugh lines to match my wife's, I knew, and I could feel arthritis beginning to stiffen my joints. But I was as energetic as ever, and I certainly did not feel old. How could I, when I shared my life with such an amazing, intelligent, and lively woman?

I plucked Akihiko from his mother's shoulder and slung him over my own.

"Back to the house?" I checked. She nodded with a smile, linking her elbow with mine.

Her mother had recently passed away, and although Touko was still sad, she had learned to handle such situations much better. The house had been left to her daughter, along with everything in it, so we had moved into her old childhood home in Nuvema Town. Our son Akihiko was full of life, much like his mother was when I first met her, and I knew already that he would be every bit as much of a nuisance as she had been. But then, I would never have loved her, if she was anything other than what she was naturally: a fighter.

"Lucinda can go out!" Akihiko wailed. "Why can't I?"

"Because Lucinda is ten, and Professor Juniper gave her her starter pokemon," Touko answered sternly. "And even then Uncle Cheren almost didn't let her go."

Akihiko crossed his arms and pouted when I set him down on the floor of the house. Somewhere nearby, a series of loud beeps went off. Touko hurried into the living room and retrieved her Xtransciever,

"Touya!" she greeted her caller.

"Hey Touko," answered the man. Touya definitely showed signs of aging, with graying hair and being a touch softer around the midsection. He was still fit though, as well he should be.

"Do they need me up at the gym?" she asked.

That's right, Touko was now the gym leader up at Nimbasa City after Elesa retired. Of course, that meant it was no longer an electric type gym. Touko had set up the first pokemon gym in Unova to have a free-type fighting style. Trainers were hard-pressed to defeat her, and Touko loved every minute of it, because it meant she could still battle and test herself, to see if she was still as skilled as everyone remembered. But sometimes Touko needed a break, and that was when Touya was called. He willingly filled in for her when she needed a break, and he rarely called while he was on duty.

"Not technically, no. But I thought you might want to take this battle, if you could Fly up here fast enough."

A slow grin spread over Touko's face.

"Lucinda already made it that far?"

Touya grinned right back at her.

"She's just like you. Hard-charging all the way through. Now get up here, before I take the honor out from under your feet."

"I'll be there soon!" she promised, then hung up and turned to me.

"Want to go on a field trip?"

"Can I go?" Akihiko asked.

We both looked down at him.

"Of course you can come," I told him.

"You finally get to see Mommy in action, kiddo," Touko added.

"Let's see if we can't get our Braviary out of Professor Juniper's clutches," I joked.

We left the house in an excited rush, ready to see how well our friend's child was doing on her pokemon journey.

Things in life happen for a reason. We get lost somewhere to find new places. We get into battles that lead to life-long friendships. If it weren't for my father, I would never have set out on a quest that would send me running head long into Touko's path. I would never have gotten to know her like I did, never grown to love her quite the same way. We could blame circumstance all we wanted, but the simple truth was that, at the end of the day, it all came down to us.


End file.
